The Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago is one of the great American institutions. Set up in the 1950s to "teach and celebrate music rooted in the tradition of diverse American and global communities", it has become a centre for folk studies and a celebrated venue. Hundreds of artists have performed here, and the first set of 127 live recordings from School concerts, chosen from over 10,000 songs, is now available on digital-only release. It's a wildly varied selection, covering folk, country, blues and global styles, and includes some historic live recordings. US artists include Doc Watson, Steve Earle, Jeff Tweedy, and Joan Baez – singing the Band's classic The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, with help from Eliza Carthy, in 2000 – and there's a rousing recording of the great gospel star Mahalia Jackson performing a stomping When the Saints Go Marching In back in the mid-50s. From Africa, there's Toumani Diabaté with an exquisite treatment of Jarabi, while from the UK there's a late-70s recording of Martin Carthy and Donovan strumming through Mellow Yellow.